Aerofoil



H. S CHLEUSNER.

AEROFOIL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3,1921 RENEWED MARJH, 1922- 1,430,7590' Patented Oct; 3, 1922.

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HENRY SCHLE'USNER, OF GARNER, IOWA.

AEROFOIL.

Application filed may 3, 1921, Serial No. 166,386. Renewed March 17, 1922. Serial No. 544,690.

1 '0 all "whom, it may concern:

Be it known that l, HENRY ScH EUsNEn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Garner, in the county of Hancock and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aerofoils, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to aerofoil construction, such as are particularly adaptable to use in the wing construction of aeroplanes, and has for an object to provide a construction wherein the lower surfaces of a wing will be automatically caused to assume an angle of incidence with respect to impacting air approximating that most efficient for the lift desired, or will so function within a certain range.

A further object is to give an improved construction in elements serving to attain. the ends in view.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will appear from the construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and shown in the drawings, wherein,

- Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of an aeroplane wing constructed in accordance with my invention, in high speed position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view in initial or low speed position.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a complete wing and foils, with resilient closing means and manual control.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top view of the foil control.

There is illustrated a fragment of wing element which includes a number of foil elements suitably supported, arranged one in advance of the other and inpartly overlapped relation, each element, if desired extending the full length of the wing, or otherwise. Each element includes a. forward body'foil portion 11 of rigid construction having a pivotal mounting '13 of a suitable character just forward of its middle part while the rear part of each element includes a flexible part 14 which may be formed integrally therewith, or may be attached and may be formed of a different material, if necessary. Where one unit is in advance of another, its rear flexible part projects rearwardly of the pivot of the next unit to the rear, and the flexible part is formed with a set whereby it tends to bear upwardly against the under surface of such rearward unit. There may be actual contact of the flexible element on the underside of the next unit when the parts are at rest, as shown in Fig. 2, and in this position, the rear edge portion of the rigid body of the advanced element rests against the next pivot element 13 to the rear. When at rest, also, the front vpart of one unit will bear upon the next unit in advance thereof. The units may be formed as segments of parabolic surfaces throughout their rigid parts, and the flexible parts may have such form as to most efficiently conserve the lifting energy involved in the action of the elements as desired.

This construction insures the closure of the foil element and prevents passage of air therethrough when moving at slow speeds. However, when the speed is increased, it is understood that air will enter between the forward edge of one foil and the rear portion of the next one in advance thereof, acting against the upper side of the flexible element 14 thereadjacent and bearing it downwardly, the air being impelled rapidly through the opening thus formed toward the rear. This is especially advantageous at high speeds, when the underside of the plane wing is at a minimum angle of incidence to impacting air, and there is a possibility of pressure against the upper side of the wing, in which event my invention will reduce such pressure and utilize the air passed downwardly through: the foil to impact against the air thereunder and assist in propelling the craft.

T he foils may be mounted on shafts 15 mounted revolubly in a wing frame 16 and extending longitudinal thereof. The shafts may extend into the body of the craft and be provided with crank arms 17 all connected to a link 18 at the respective side of the craft. The link may be reciprocated by a hand lever 19 within the craft. and a spring 20 ma be connected to the link operative to holdthe parts yieldingly as desired.

What is claimed is:

1. In an aerofoil a plurality of foil elements arranged one before the other and having incident surfaces at their undersides, the forward edge of each except the foremost one being projected over the rear portion of the next one 1n advance, and each except the rearmost being formed with resilient material having a surface tending to bear against the underside of the element therelie behind.

2. In an aerofoil, a plurality of foil elefoils having a rear portion of greater ex- 10 tent than its forward part.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY SCHLEUSNER.

Witnesses EARL CONWAY, C. R. SWEIGARD. 

